Oscar Futures: Django and Les Miz Enter With Guns Blazing

Every week between now and January 10, when the nominations are announced, movies and stars will help themselves — or sometimes, hurt themselves — in the Oscar race. Vulture's Oscar Futures will listen for insider gossip, comb the blogs, and out-and-out guess when necessary to track who's up, who's down, and who's currently leading the race for a coveted nomination.

Let's check out this week's chart:

Best Picture

Les Misérables. And we're off to the races: After a round of critical battering, Les Miz burnished its image with a big opening day at the box office on Christmas. With nearly $40 million banked in just three days, it's possible that this could be our highest-grossing Best Picture contender after the nominations come in.

Django Unchained. Though it couldn't topple Les Miz — and The Hobbit supplanted it at the box office yesterday — Django still opened strongly, delivering Tarantino's highest opening-day gross ever.

Ang Lee (Life of Pi).Silver Linings Playbook director David O. Russell is presumed to be the weak sister in this category, but at least he keeps grabbing headlines and riding the party circuit. Meanwhile, all's gone quiet in Lee's corner.

Helen Mirren (Hitchcock). She surprised with two nods from SAG and the Globes, so why hasn't there been a peep since? Mirren's been busy filming the sequel to Red, but one wonders if her sudden momentum two weeks ago hasn't wasted away.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Django Unchained). A solid Django opening, a Today show confessional, and the (unconfirmed but delightful) report that he walked his Titanic co-star Kate Winslet down the aisle at her recent wedding? You win the week, Leo.

Nicole Kidman (The Paperboy). Kidman remains even this week; while the race is Hathaway's to lose (and she won't), it's impossible to ignore the momentum Kidman has gained as of late. It truly will be an honor just to get nominated for a film that no one would have dared to predict laurels for months ago.

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